Shenchi Flax

Shenchi Flax

Shenchi Flax is a product certified with a Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　Shenchi County is located on the Loess Plateau in northwestern Shanxi, characterized by a continental monsoon climate. Its main features include strong winds, low temperatures, arid conditions, short frost-free periods, large diurnal temperature variations, and abundant sunlight. Geographic characteristics:

　　The production area is distributed across vast hilly regions, high mountains, and mid-to-low-altitude rocky mountainous areas, at an elevation range of 1,600–1,800 meters. Soil types: primarily light chestnut-brown soil. The cultivated land features deep soil layers, sloping fields with good tillage properties, excellent water and fertilizer retention, and moderate organic matter content—all ideal conditions for flax growth. The region has a long history of flax cultivation, enriched with profound cultural heritage and regional traditions.

　　Thanks to Shenchi’s unique environmental conditions for flax production, the resulting flax seeds possess distinctive qualities. The processed Shenchi Flax Oil is hailed by nutrition and health experts both domestically and internationally as the “deep-sea fish oil of the mountains.” Local sayings such as “Just one flaxseed oil puff energizes you for three days,” “Eating flaxseed oil daily makes you feel like an immortal,” and “Fill your oil jar, and never worry about money” have been passed down through generations and remain widely popular. In the region, Shenchi Flax Oil is an important gift during festivals, family visits, and social exchanges. Its value goes far beyond mere consumption—it also carries rich regional cultural significance.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Shenchi County is situated on the Loess Plateau in northwestern Shanxi, at the northwestern foot of the Guancen Mountains. It borders Shuozhou City to the east, neighbors Wuzhai County to the west, lies south of the Guancen Mountains across from Ningwu, and is bordered by Hongtao Mountain to the north, adjacent to Pianguan County and Pinglu District. Geographic coordinates: 111°42′–112°18′ east longitude, 38°56′–39°24′ north latitude. The county covers a total area of 1,472 square kilometers. The protected geographical indication area for Shenchi Flax includes 10 townships within Shenchi County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province: Longquan Town, Yijing Town, Bajiao Town, Donghu Township, Taipingzhuang Township, Hubei Township, Hezhi Township, Liebao Township, Changzhen Township, and Dayanbei Township, encompassing 241 administrative villages. In recent years, the annual planting area of flax has been around 8,500 hectares, with a total annual yield of 25,000–30,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　Shenchi Flax seeds are flat in shape, with a beak-like tip at the front, smooth surface, and a glossy purplish-black color. They are relatively large (3–5 mm in length, with a thousand-seed weight of 6.8–7 grams, approximately 0.83 grams higher than flax from other regions), resistant to storage, quick to dehydrate, less prone to insect damage, and have a high oil yield. Thus, Shenchi Flax seeds are uniquely high-quality. The *Shenchi County Annals* from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty recorded: “Flax seeds are large, purplish-black in color, and of very high quality.” Shenchi Flax contains over 40.2 g/100g of oil—the highest among all flax varieties. According to measurements by local flax oil workshops and modern oil processing enterprises, Shenchi Flax achieves an oil extraction rate as high as 35%–40%, while flax from other regions only reaches up to 33%. Shenchi Flax has a moisture content of ≤13.9%, linoleic acid ≥1.38g/100g, and alpha-linolenic acid >4.01g/100g.